Crafts – Needlework – Page 27

C A Wells, Cross Stitch, needlework TO BE FIXED, Works in Progress

Final post before I fly to Perth

21 April, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I haven’t decided whether or not to take my laptop with me to Perth … I guess it depends on how much other luggage I end up taking. Anyway, I’ve almost finished my CA Wells projects apart from the fusing of the interfacing and remaining eyelets and miniscule bits of stitching. I have to admit I’ve really detested stitching the Sailor’s Valentine piece and these last few days have been spent doing squillions of over-one stitching … even less enjoyable when it’s a project you’re not enjoying anyway! Every single stitch has been painful, and definitely NOT a labour of love!

Well, I’ve finally managed to finish them anyway … although I noticed I was two threads out on part of the ship panel – seeing as that panel has given me major grief over the last 2-3 days I was sure as heck not unpicking all that over-one stitching and re-doing it, so fingers crossed those two fabric threads on each won’t make any difference! It’s my own fault, I regraphed the whole panel onto my XS computer program and copied them into the wrong place! I must say, though, it was sooooo much easier stitching it from my own chart than from CA’s … much much easier in colour and nice and large on the screen 🙂

I think the thing I really hate about this piece is the dreadful pink thread … the photos don’t actually show the colours up truthfully – in real life it looks more brown and rusty looking – it just looks like ‘dead flowers’ to me, particularly on the Roses panel … oh well, c’est la vie – I’ll probably choose to put this panel on the back so I don’t have to look at it if I have a choice 😉

And don’t get me started on the thread colour for the ship! The model photo shows nice variegated browns and a hit of blue … not pink, green and gold!!! Unfortunately we were given the teeniest skimpiest strand of this silk so I couldn’t even cut it to a preferred blend of colours … by this stage I was so ‘over’ the whole design I couldn’t be bothered hunting through my thread stash for a replacement and just stitched it ‘as is’ … but it really is a bizarre colour choice 😦

Here are piccies of the finished sides (all apart from those final ‘fused’ bits of stitching) – I changed the longitude and latitude coordinates to be from the suburb where I’m now living. There are a couple of photos of the over-one stitching as well (those are clickable, not that you’d really want to see them any more ‘up close and personal’ than what they already are, but the others are non-clickable as a courtesy to the designer.

Tomorrow morning I will be sitting on a plane for 5 hours heading to Perth, then on Wed/Thu this week I will be in the classroom with CA Wells and other luvverly ladies (including one lady who is flying all the way from Japan to be there!). Hopefully the next time you see these projects they’ll be finished (well, the Sailor’s Valentine one anyway – I still have to stitch the rooftop of the cottage, so that one will take a bit longer!).

Now it’s time to start contemplating what I need to pack to take with me … something super simple to stitch on the plane, me thinks, and my iPod loaded up with a talking book – I can’t remember whether they show a movie on the flight or not, so I want to be prepared ‘just in case’ … actually I’d better pack a normal book just in case I’m now allowed to stitch! Rightio, time is a wastin’ … time to get my A into G!!

Canvaswork

Bad, bad girl

18 April, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I take a day off work to do some ‘cramming stitching’ for my CA Wells class … and what do I do instead? I forget to switch my phone alarm off so I get awoken early then feel like death all day and end up spending the entire day (so far anyway) joining up for more internet groups for canvaswork designs and getting itchy feet to start a new project or 50!! There is just no hope for me!!!

I’m getting a serious urge to pick up some canvaswork projects again … I have one or two in my stash still waiting to be stitched, but now I’m drooling over some new class projects as well … Check this one out by Jim Wurth … oh my goodness, I SOOOOO want this one!!!!! I’ve sent him an email to work out how to pay for it, if overseas students are allowed (it’s basically a correspondence course) … isn’t it to die for??? Its called Study in Gold and Silver, and available through the Shining Needle Society (email to sign up for registration – no membership fee for the Yahoo group).

Then there’s a new Mystery project by Gay Ann Rogers – check out her blog post here to see the first part. Some of the suggested colour combinations put together in other posts are totally exquisite! (Once again, this is run via the above Yahoo group.)

Then, of course, there’s the few canvaswork projects that I already have that are actually pretty much kitted up ready to be started in my existing stash – Sapphire Star by Laura J Perin (who has her own blog I’ve just discovere today), and Lavender Blue Celtic Knot Quilt by From Nancy’s Needle, and Baroque by Jean Hilton:

As well as the designs I already own by Orna Willis (who also now has her own blog but I’ve known about that one since she started it), that aren’t quite kitted up yet (the only real downside to canvaswork is the multitude of ‘weird’ and uncommon threads needed).

A Summer Drink (you’ll need to click on the pictures to go to the website to see the full piccie – the turquoise one is stunning!)

Reflections of Joy (in the bright colours), Equilibrium (in the purple colourway), Grace (in the colourway shown, or perhaps I’d attempt to change the entire colours to turquoise and navy yet hmmm) – again, you have to click on the piccies to see all the colourway choices

Add to that the one of hers I don’t actually own yet, but still continue to drool over – Royal:

And finished off by the multitude still on my wishlist by Laura J Perin and Northern Pine Designs …

Perhaps I should just console myself with the piece I’ve already started – Flight of the Bumblebee by Ruth Schmuff:

… but stitching on something already started spoils all the fun … haha.

I also have a couple of other canvaswork designs in my stash, but I can’t remember the exact designer names off the top of my head … and I think I’ve disgraced myself enough with this post! 😉

And of course that’s not even mentioning the millions of XS designs that are currently screaming my name to be started! Why is it, that as soon as I have a stitching commitment and deadline, that commitment project is the very last thing that I want to stitch, and the urge to start 50 different projects is sooooo strong?

So, what am I doing now instead of stitching? Sitting here posting about my sorry addiction … ah, there really is no hope for me! 😉

It will soon be time to head out the door to get my hair cut, and I’ll be walking out after not stitching a single solitary stitch … just pitiful!! But I’ve been having so much fun dreaming … 😉

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Works in Progress

Peeps have arrived in Oz! (plus a bit of stitching)

16 April, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

… or at least they DID arrive, but alas they had to be destroyed due to possible cross-breeding with the local bunnies. The destruction was quick and painless, as I chomped them to death throughout the day at work! 😉

Thanks so much to Monique for this little act of kindness – I’d mentioned to Monique on her blog that I’d never seen what a peep looked like, so it was great to see her photo of them after hearing so much about them for years … Monique took pity on me and sent me this wonderful sample! People must have thought I was bonkers leaving the Post Office, as I changed from being very perplexed at a strange parcel arriving, to cackling like a banshee with a huge grin on my face after opening it up and seeing the contents. Thanks again Monique for making my week! 😀

As for my stitching, I’ve done really well over the weekend and the last couple of nights – I have finished all my Cottage Etui pieces, except for the rooftop, and except for tiny bits of stitching that are done after the interfacing is fused on (eyelets and satin stitches). Now I’ve moved on to the Sailor’s Valentine, and I’ve managed to complete one more side (once again, except for the backstitching of the word “Love” once the interfacing is fused on) – now I’m concentrating on the smallest side of the lot (not much stitching, although a bit of over one) which has a whale’s tail on it and compass markings. That then just leaves me with the boat side to be done (oodles of over-one so it will take me forever!) and the ribbon bands, plus the personalisation (again over-one) on the Roses side … then I can attempt to get the Cottage rooftop started.

Here’s just a wee taste of the “Love” side (CA isn’t keen on full-screen progress photos online as far as I understand it, so I’m trying to be considerate but still share a little bit!):

I’m really looking forward to heading over to Perth again next week for the class – I’m staying with one of the organiser’s lady friends for the two nights of the class, then I’m off to spend 3 nights with Hayley, a good friend of mine. Apparently we’re getting up on Thursday for the dawn service on ANZAC Day, then we have 3 full days to potter around and actually see a bit of Perth this time – it’s going to be great to have some quality time with Hayles and Pete, as they have a long weekend off work yay!

Of GREAT note is the fact that as of late last night we have ADSL BROADBAND AT HOME!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I AM screaming … with sheer joy!!!!! We’ve managed to get my modem set up with Lisa’s wireless router, and we can both connect – in a couple of weeks time you actually might get to see me more online again (and maybe even answering emails, unlike having a humungous backlog like I do now)!! 😀

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Stash, Works in Progress

Market garden kitchen and etui update

12 April, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Well, true to form, I’ve been lounging around in my PJ equivalent all day – trackpants and PJ top … and I’ve been stitching merrily away on my Cottage Etui. Here’s a sneak preview of how far along I am so far … I’m pretty confident that I’ll get all the pieces finished by the end of tomorrow that I want to (I’m not bothering about getting the rooftop stitched yet – but if I get time before I fly out, I’ll try to start).

While stitching the Etui, it also reminded me that I haven’t shown you my latest stash purchases yet either – as soon as I took them out of the envelope, my Cottage Etui threads went straight onto one of them. Monique makes the most gorgeous threadholders, and I truly adore them! Small enough to be super portable, and no thread snags … plus they look so darned cute!!! 😀 What’s betting a certain senior citizen who will be visiting in May will try to snaffle one of them for herself??? haha.

I also forgot to show your healthy spoils from a morning trip to Paddy’s Market in Flemington last weekend (before my friends arrived). Lisa has bought a juicer and we’ve been having fresh fruit and vege juices every morning this last week … this is just a small sample of what is residing in our kitchen right now … boxes and boxes and lovely fruit and vege (some will be juiced and frozen).

Lovely peaches, with a tray of nectarines hiding underneath … plus boxes of pears, apples and oranges.

There is also a box full of Tahitian limes (just perfect for the bottles of Corona in the fridge), and melons galore, not to mention the pile of pumpkins and butternuts hiding underneath!

And this one is for Mum … a box of Australian feijoas (which I’m sorry to say are really tiny and picked well before they are ripe, so they’re a bit disappointing … I really miss our feijoa tree from home – poor Mum has so many she doesn’t know what to do with them, and she keeps making me jealous talking about them!).

Rightio, my dinner has finished nuking in the microwave, so it’s time to head back to my stitching position for the evening stitch-a-thon 🙂

Cross Stitch, Finishing, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Needlerolls, Works in Progress

Busy Little Beaver!

30 March, 20089 August, 2024 Anne S

I can’t believe how much I managed to cram into one day yesterday … it’s most unlike me, as I’m the Queen of time wasting at the weekends!! First up I decided to get the garage tidied up and out of the way, and I was surprised I managed to complete the entire thing in less than 2 hours woohoo (well, apart from Lisa’s futon mattress that I can’t move on my own)! That means we can finally park one of the cars in there, and we won’t get told off for hogging more than one carspace!

Next up, my downstairs neighbour (70 yr old Barbara) hollered out that she had finished with the laundry, so I could get my washing done early yay – once I’d filled the machine to capacity and set it going, I came back upstairs and spoke to Mum on the phone for 2 hours … minus 15 minutes when I ran back downstairs to put the washing out on the line and put the last few towels in to wash.

After chatting to Mum I cooked up a pot of Hearty Minestrone Soup from a recent Weight Watchers cookbook ready for lunches, followed by the making of a low-calorie orange and mango jelly, and a vanilla blancmange … just that word “blancmange” makes me go weak at the knees and start salivating!! You can tell I’m actually a Brit by birth, as you can’t buy blancmange over here (although come to think of it, you can probably get it in the UK import shops, I’ll have to check it out!) … this batch is from a previous donation from my Aunt in the UK, and I’ve never got around to making it. Well, yesterday I made my very first blancmange, and couldn’t wait to sink my spoon into it after it set … yummo! The great thing about WW is that I can still eat these things in moderation if I get the urge, and just work it into the daily points total … although that’s also one reason for making the soup, ‘cos it’s very very low in points but very filling – blancmange and soup, the perfect balance! As of yesterday it’s ‘that time of the month’ when I get some serious sweet cravings, so I also figure eating blancmange is better than eating a big block of chocolate or packet of Tim Tams!! 😉

Here’s a photo of the soup simmering (dunno why I took a photo really) – but no photo of the blancmange, as it didn’t sit still long enough in one piece to get one haha.

I can’t believe what a fantastic day I had yesterday – I’m LOVING this weekend, and LOVING having energy again after feeling so crappy for so long … I feel as though I had a new lease of life yesterday 🙂

The next job I tackled was to glue together 5 Christmas ornies just sitting ready to be finished (they were already laced onto the mattboard etc) – they’re currently sitting under a pile of books after drying overnight and just have to have cording added (which might be a while yet before I do that). Then I cut up strips of calico and neatened the edges with the overlocker, ready to stitch onto the edges of my CA Wells project (there is only about 1-2 cm space at each edge, and I can’t stitch in hand), plus I made quite a few more strips ready for other kitted up projects that I can’t wait to start.

Before I started my stitching for the night, though, I finally did the finishing of two needlerolls that were just waiting to be ribboned and stuffed … and they are now sitting here in all their finished glory 🙂

“Summer Solstice Needleroll” by Eventide Designs
Stitched on 28ct hand-dyed Dried Thyme Jobelan with recommended threads
but changed the months to be Dec-Jan-Feb to be in line with the southern hemisphere seasons

“Snow Fall Roll” by Shepherd’s Bush (kit)

Feeling the best I’ve felt in months, I also brought out a teeny tiny pinkeep (about 2″ in width) that I meant to finish for Becky last year (!!), and finally did the finishing … originally this was designed to be a scissor fob, but then I changed my mind once I read Becky adores pinkeeps. Even if I say so myself, it looks really cute! I still have a needlebook to finish yet to go with it, so it won’t be posted for a while yet … but at least I can see it happening this year!! 😉

After all that activity, I finally sat down in my stitching chair, switched off the goggle box, and cranked open a talking book for a couple of hours (The Twelfth Card by Jeffery Deaver – love his books!) … and FINALLY put the first stitches into my Cottage Etui piece for the CA Wells class. OK, I have to admit, it’s not much so far, but at least I’ll have one thing that can be finish-finished in class if nothing else haha. This will eventually either be a scissor fob, or if I manage to get some more stitching done, it will be the pincushion/thimble pip ends. I must say I really do like the choice of Gloriana silk for this pice – very rich and scrummy colours in there, with even a hint of yummy blues 😉

And that concludes my wonderful day yesterday – today I’ve woken up quite tired, but still positive, and I’ve decided to sit and stitch a short while this morning on some more CA Wells before tackling any housework … on the first day of my cycle I always feel ‘blah’ so that seems like a perfect day to me yet again!

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Works in Progress

Piccies of finishes … and a Frangipani plant

18 March, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

As promised a few days ago, here are my photos of recent finishes:

Winter Wonderland by Little House Needleworks
Stitched on 32ct Golden Harvest linen by Silkweaver
with recommended threads

Blueberries by Little House Needleworks & Crescent Colours
Stitched on 32ct cream Belfast linen
with recommended threads

Also, here is LHN’s Sampler Lady in all her topless work-in-progress glory … she’s still waiting for her blouse to be finished, the poor love – it’s a good job the weather’s still warm down here in Sydney!!! 😉

Next up is a photo for Mum of my wee $9.95 Frangipani tree in its pot on the balcony – as you can see it has some company in the form of fresh herbs … I just adore those blue pots!! No flowers on the frangipani yet, but a new leaf has grown, plus it’s a wee bit taller than when we first arrived. My other (first) Frangipani plant isn’t doing too well since having its top knocked off by Nigel and Brenda’s dog, but I live in hope it might perk up a bit more by next summer before I replace it with something else.

Lucky last is my ‘new’ smalls display in the new flat – complete with my Wessex sampler on the wall – this place is fantastic for all the wall hooks!!

And I’ll finish my post there. Since being sick I haven’t had chance to do housework for two weeks, but once caught up I’ll take piccies of the new abode now we’re almost 100% unpacked (aside from the boxes in my bedroom of ‘unimportant stuff’).

Talking of which, I ended up leaving work early yesterday ‘cos I felt grotty (I survived an entire 1 1/2 hours!), and am now on antibiotics for about 13 days compliments of a local GP … fingers crossed it does the trick! 🙂

The other thing I haven’t spoken about is the excruciating heel pain I’ve been having over the last few months – it’s good to know my self-diagnosis was correct, and I have likely got plantar fascitis (spelling?). I’ve been applying ice packs and anti-inflammatories when it’s been really bad, and have since bought some orthotics for padding the heel that’ve been working a treat. Fingers crossed that my heel pains will soon be a thing of the past (or at least I won’t be woken up in the middle of the night from the throbbing pain!!).

Rightio, time to go chill out again … I’m doing my online things in short bursts …

Cross Stitch, Needlerolls, Works in Progress

A WIP and Car goes to the Dr

2 February, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Sorry I haven’t been online much but quite frankly I just haven’t felt like posting at all – the move was quite exhausting, both physically and mentally … I can’t believe that even my knuckles felt bruised and aching after all the lifting!!! Yesterday was the first day I could lift a box up off the floor again without groaning – geez it felt good 😉

Anyway, today I had an early morning start – my car is finally off to the mechanics on the other side of town. I really need my car, and to finally have a decent and fair mechanic looking at it is a blessing in itself. Brenda and Nigel have recommended their mechanic to me, and he seems like a really nice bloke so far. I’ve documented the entire history of what’s been going wrong with my car over the last 2 years, which will hopefully help shed some light on what’s wrong … if nothing else hopefully he can get the car windows to open again, which will be a bonus in the Sydney heat! And most importantly I hope he can get the dashboard light working again!! I upgraded my RACV membership to the “total care” package, which gives unlimited towing and breakdown assistance … but unfortunately it doesn’t exactly copy over to the NRMA in Sydney (which I didn’t realise) – I only get 8km free towing, and have to pay $4.40 per km over that … considering the mechanic is possibly just over 50km away, that’s gonna be a hefty towing bill!! Supposedly I can claim that money back from the RACV though, so that’d better be true, or I’ll be spewing big time!!

I have to admit I feel quite nauseous and ill thinking of all the money that’s being incurred lately – it’s all going on a credit card, but it’s still extra money I have to fork out every month in repayments. Our dramas with the removalists haven’t finished either – it turns out they delivered the wrong bike to us (I had no idea, as it was Lisa’s and she didn’t see it until she arrived) … and I’m missing one entire box, so I’m trying to make a list of all the things I can think of that were in it hmmm. Lisa’s away this weekend, but next week we’re probably going to write down a time line of everything that’s happened and send it to all and sundry, including possibly the TV show Today Tonight!

All this hassle and drama has seriously impacted on my stitching – I looked back at what I’d achieved in January stitching-wise and the only thing was that paltry little Xmas ornie stocking that I finished in one day! That’s very very unlike me!! The only other thing I started was Sweetheart Tree’s Wildflower Needleroll … the photo is basically the sum total of 3 days stitching (2 days from when I was sitting in an empty apartment, and 1 from a couple of nights ago) … it’s all quite pathetic really!

I get really enthusiastic and excited about all the designs I could be stitching, then feel exhausted about 5 seconds later and don’t end up doing anything – perhaps once the boxes etc are all entirely unpacked and I can move in my bedroom easily, then I’ll feel more settled and can get into a normal routine again. The lounge is a bomb site at the moment as well, as Lisa’s things are all piled up there, as well as some of my stuff that needs to be sorted out, so the clutter everywhere is probably affecting me. Lisa put her back out last weekend, and she’s been in agony all week, so we haven’t been able to do much around the place … but hopefully she’ll be back to normal again by the end of next week and we can make a concerted effort to get the place tidied up and organised.

The main challenge for me this weekend is trying to set up the video to Lisa’s TV … and get the legs onto the dining table, so the dining area can get uncluttered. I’m going to try and make an effort to take a couple of hours out to do some stitching – and need something quite ‘easy’ to stitch to help get me back into the swing of things (which won’t be the ST needleroll … that backstitching of all the leaves is doing my head in at the moment!! – mind you, once that’s finished there’s not much left before it’s totally stitched). It’s likely that I’ll either choose a small freebie or Xmas ornie, or start a new LHN or CCN design … but I must stitch “something”, or I’m going to kick myself hard!!!

Once the place is fully de-cluttered we need to invite our elderly neighbours up for morning or afternoon tea … I’d guess they’re both in their 70’s to 80’s, and seem really lovely old dears (Norma on the ground floor, and Barbara in the middle of us on the 2nd). We’re also setting up a calendar in the kitchen where we can keep track of all our house guests that will be coming over the coming year, so we don’t double-book … it’s going to be quite a social year if everyone comes that says they will be! 😀

Anyway, time to sign off for the day as I need to head to the Post Office before it closes … I’ve found out there is a tiny local branch just up the road at the shops, which is open on Saturday mornings – I haven’t been able to get to the PO since my car has been broken down, since moving here, to post some changes of address etc, so it’s great to find I can do all that on Saturdays now! I can still clear my mail in the mornings at Mascot before work, but the actual shop for postage etc isn’t open then.

Rightio, time to ‘shake a tail feather’ and do the morning duties … with luck Lisa’s bike will be returning this afternoon from Dodgey Brothers R Us, and I need to make sure I’m home all afternoon for their arrival … geez, they’re the last people I want to see today!!

Christmas Ornaments, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Works in Progress

A bit of Christmas stitching

26 December, 200725 February, 2012 Anne S

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Day – here in Sydney I spent a lovely day with Brenda & Nigel, and Brenda’s sisters, nieces and cousin. As always Nigel did an awesome job with the food, and we all ate like Kings. The rest of the day was spent, in my case, stitching in front of the TV while we watched Scrooged and the final episodes of the Vicar of Dibley. I’m glad I went prepared and took a wee LHN design to start – it gave me something to do while everyone else was snoozing at odd times during the afternoon. And if I’d got all the DMC threads to hand, I would have almost finished it!! My needles were definitely smoking yesterday (and until 3am when I got back ‘home’ as I still couldn’t put it down). Here’s my progress so far – I just need to buy some more DMC (3371, 739 and 3011) then I can get it finished. Unfortunately I took a drive out to the shops today, forgetting that everything is still closed for Boxing Day, so it will be sitting unfinished for a wee while now as I’m back to work tomorrow.

Necessities Sampler by Little House Needleworks

Seeing as I can’t finish my LHN piece, I have no choice but to start one of my CA Wells pieces … which means I have to start concentrating on my stitching again yikes!!

On Christmas Eve I managed to finally put the finishing touches to a couple of ornies that were stitched during the first part of last year. I really really need to get back into my stitching routine so I can stitch a few more for next year! Anyway, here are the latest ornies in their finished state (I forgot to take a photo of one, which I gave to Kerrie at the weekend).

And here are two that Mum stitched for me, that I’ve also finally finished into ornies:

I’ll finish this post with photos of my friendly flatmates right now – they’re both so incredibly friendly and cuddly … the photos were taken from their visit onto my bed this morning 🙂

Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Round Robins, Works in Progress

Christmas with a Bite!

23 December, 200725 February, 2012 Anne S

My mail has finally started arriving in Sydney, after having a detour into Melbourne first – which means my Quaker Friendship Sampler has arrived home at last. I have to admit, I prefer other choices of colours after stitching on everyone else’s samplers, but I do still love this one … with its bright cheery colour! I’ll have to wait to post a piccie, because I’ve left it at Brenda & Nigel’s. Actually, I might pop over to the SAL blog and see if I can snaffle a piccie that Becky took of the finished sampler (cool, thanks Becky for post that piccie so I can borrow it!!):

Which also brings me to another job that is way, way overdue … believe it or not, I haven’t forgotten that I have promised to give away my original chart, and I made a quick list of all the people who originally put their hands up to go into the draw. Well I can finally advise that Judith is the lucky recipient of this chart, and in the New Year I’ll get it into the post for you (it’s currently packed up, so just as soon as I can get to it, it’ll be on its way to you).

Thanks for your patience everyone who put their hands up to go into the draw!

Which brings me to the next one … after finishing It’s Halloween by The Drawn Thread, I’m putting that chart up for grabs now as well. It has slight creases in the chart, but the chart is totally legible – it is just showing the strain of all that travelling between house sitting jobs in Melbourne!! Anyway, please leave a comment that you’d like to put your name in the draw, I’ll pull another name out of the hat (or via the list generator, anyway), in a couple of weeks time.

Yesterday I spent the entire day in my PJ’s and managed to get loads stitched on Snapperville … and I have to say it was the most amazing comforting feeling to be stitching again. I have really REALLY missed my stitching, and it helped to bring back a feeling of normality to my day. Uunfortunately I don’t have any Weeks Dye Works Hazelnut thread, or DMC 434, here with me, so I can’t put the finishing touches to this piece. Boohoo. I may have to take it with me on Christmas Day to Brenda and Nigel’s where one of my other kitted up projects is holding DMC 434 so I can get it finished. Right now, though, I just have the door left to be stitched in the final block, along with the final part of the border (a few swirls and one more tree). Fingers crossed this will get finished before the end of 2007!

Today no stitching was done, but instead we had a very social occasion out at Kerry’s place (Brenda’s best friend). Now, Mum, please do NOT read any more of this paragraph, as you’ll have nightmares for days!!! Nicely fed on a lovely BBQ, a couple of us were still sitting outside chatting about our previous European travels, while the rest of the group were inside the house … all of a sudden the guy opposite me says “oh my goodness, there’s a snake!” – I turned around in my chair, and sure enough there was a bloody great snake slithering over the porch, and it disappeared straight through the door into the kitchen! Thankfully no-one inside startled it, and no-one got hurt, but all of a sudden here was a mass exit of bodies coming back outside the doors carrying out all pets. Next thing Chris (the husband) put his steel-capped boots on and armed with a spade went back inside to keep an eye on it, along with Nigel who was armed with his camera to help keep guard (I’ll put some photos up just as soon as I can get hold of copies). A phone call was made for help, and eventually (about 3/4 hour later) the snake man arrived to remove the unwanted red-bellied black snake, who was about 5 feet long, and a very decent size in width. It’s the first snake I’ve seen in the ‘wild’ since moving to Australia, and hopefully the last one!!! It’s the first one Kerry’s ever seen, either, which makes me feel better that it’s not ‘normal’. Anyway, it was rather exciting and gave us something to chat about for ages afterwards … not to mention the humour when I nearly peed myself as Nigel dangled a rubber snake in front of my nose shortly after – payback is going to be a bitch for him one day!! 😉

Anyway, after seeing a bit too much of Sydney’s nature, it was time to head back home to chill out and relax … and in case I don’t get chance before the “big day”, I wanted to make a very quick post to say ………

ALL THE BEST TO ALL MY ONLINE FRIENDS, AND YOUR FAMILIES, FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON – MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR, AND I WISH YOU EVERY HAPPINESS FOR 2008. IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE MEETING YOU ALL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR RELATIONSHIPS NEXT YEAR. WITH HUGE HUGS AND LOVE, xxx

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishing, Works in Progress

Oh heck – I made a big boo-boo!!!

10 December, 200725 February, 2012 Anne S

Note to self – don’t post your new address on the blog until you’re 100% concentrating and awake!!! My address is NOT PO Box 1306, but rather PO Box 688!!! Sorry ’bout that – a seriously major blonde moment!! Now you know why I don’t blog at the moment – I’m usually too shattered to think about it … and that’s the result!! Doh!!!

Anyway, just a really quick post again, to post some stitching piccies while I get the chance – I finally managed to put the finishing touches to these FUFO’s a week ago:

That may end up being the only ornie finished by me this year … such is life I guess …

Also, here’s the latest two finished blocks of Snapperville, plus the teensy start on block #5 – you’d never believe it’s taken two weeks to stitch just this part, would you? Yep, smokin’ needles is definitely a thing of the past for me for the timebeing – the only stitching I’ve been getting is about 2 hours on Sunday night ho-hum 😦